A note about increasing DVR penetration and year-to-year rating comparisons: Year-to-year rating comparisons based on the Live + Same Day data stream are distorted by the level of DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample, which has jumped up to 33% currently, from 28% at the same point in 2008. More viewers are watching shows on their own timetables, which may not be reflected in the overnight next day numbers. The only truly valid year-to-year comparison would be one based on the Live + 7 Day metric, once those stats are released by Nielsen.

Monday

ABC qualified as the most-watched TV network (14.5 million) on Monday for the 2nd week in a row, beating CBS by 2.8 million viewers (11.7 million), Fox by 3.8 million viewers (10.7 million) and NBC by 9.2 million viewers (5.3 million).

"Dancing with the Stars" (8:00-10:02 p.m.)

ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" stood as TV's most-watched program (16.8 million) on Monday for the 4th time in 5 telecasts. The ABC dance competition built its audience from its first hour to its second hour by 1.1 million viewers (16.2 million to 17.3 million) and by 15% in Adults 18-49 (3.3/9 to 3.8/9). In fact, from 9:00-10:00 p.m., "DWTS" more than doubled the performance of NBC's high-profile "Trauma" in Adults 18-49 (+111% - 3.8/9 vs. 1.8/4).

� "DWTS" won its 2-hour time period for the 4th straight week among Women 18-49 (5.0/12) and Women 25-54 (6.7/15).

"Castle" (10:02-11:00 p.m.)

Hitting season highs in young adults for the 2nd consecutive week, ABC's "Castle" outperformed NBC's "Jay Leno" in the 10 o'clock hour by its largest margins yet in both Total Viewers (+5.0 million viewers � 9.7 million vs. 4.7 million) and Adults 18-49 (+71% - 2.4/6 vs. 1.4/4).

� One of TV's biggest gainers in the 10 o'clock hour this season, ABC's "Castle" is generating substantial increases over its first-reported numbers through DVR playback, picking up an average 1.6 million viewers and an additional 6-tenths of an Adult 18-49 rating point (+26%) from the initially reported Live + Same Day Numbers to the Live + 7 Day DVR finals.

� On average, "Castle" is improving the time period year to year for ABC, growing its hour over the same nights last year in both Total Viewers (nearly +1.0 million - 9.4 million vs. 8.5 million) and Adults 18-49 (+5% - 2.3/6 vs. 2.2/5).

Tuesday

Gaining week to week in viewers and young adults for the 2nd week in a row, ABC's Tuesday lineup delivered the Net's largest audience (9.4 million) and highest Adults 18-49 number (2.4/6) on the night since premiere Tuesday (9/22/09).

"Shark Tank" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

On its first-season finale in the 8 o'clock hour against stiff original competition (CBS' "NCIS," NBC's "The Biggest Loser" and Fox's "AL MLB Playoff Game"), ABC's "Shark Tank" shot up week to week by 13% in both Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, hitting series-highs on both Nielsen measures. In fact, "Shark Tank" saw its Total Viewer count grow for the 5th consecutive telecast. In Total Viewers (5.9 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.8/5), "Shark Tank" posted ABC's top series numbers in the time period in 8 months � since 2/24/09.

"Dancing with the Stars the Results Show" (9:00-10:01 p.m.)

Surging week to week, ABC's "Dancing with the Stars the Results" hit season-highs in Tuesday's 9 o'clock hour for the 2nd week in a row with Total Viewers (14.9 million) and Adults 18-49 (3.4/9). "DWTS the Results" took second in the hour, outdrawing its unscripted competition, the second half of NBC's "The Biggest Loser," by a best-yet 4.5 million viewers (10.4 million). Last night's telecast featured a dance tribute to Michael Jackson, as well as a performance from eight-time Grammy Award � winner Norah Jones. Olympic swimming gold medalist Natalie Coughlin was the seventh dancer to be eliminated from the competition this season.

"the forgotten" (10:01-11:00 p.m.)

During the 10 o'clock hour, ABC's "the forgotten" beat NBC's "Jay Leno" by 1.8 million viewers (7.3 million vs. 5.3 million) and by 6% in Adults 18-49 (1.9/5 vs. 1.8/5).

� On average, "the forgotten" is improving the time period year to year for ABC, growing its hour over the same nights last year in both Total Viewers (8.3 million vs. 8.2 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.2/6 vs. 2.1/6).

� "the forgotten" is generating substantial increases over its first-reported numbers through DVR playback, picking up an average 1.2 million viewers and an additional 4-tenths of an Adult 18-49 rating point (+17%) from the initially reported Live + Same Day Numbers to the Live + 7 Day DVR finals.

� "Hank" is seeing increases over its first-reported numbers through DVR playback, picking up half-a-million viewers and an additional 2-tenths of an Adult 18-49 rating point from the initially reported Live + Same Day Numbers to the Live + 7 Day DVR finals.

"The Middle" (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

Building audience for ABC at 8:30 p.m., ABC's "The Middle" grew from its lead-in by 12% in Total Viewers (6.5 million vs. 5.8 million) and by 33% (2.0/6 vs. 1.5/5). ABC's freshman "The Middle" beat its established CBS comedy competition in the time period ("Gary Unmarried") among Adults 18-34 (+15% - 1.5/5 vs. 1.3/4), Women 18-34 (+13% - 1.8/5 vs. 1.6/5) and Men 18-34 (+10% - 1.1/4 vs. 1.0/4).

� "The Middle" is posting significant gains over its first-reported numbers through DVR playback, picking up 800,000 viewers and an additional 4-tenths of an Adult 18-49 rating point from the initially reported Live + Same Day Numbers to the Live + 7 Day DVR finals.

� The new ABC comedy stood as Wednesday's No. 1 non-sports program with Men 18-49 (2.9/8) for the 2nd week in a row.

� "Modern Family" is exhibiting big increases over its first-reported numbers through DVR playback, jumping by 1.2 million viewers and by an additional 6-tenths of an Adult 18-49 rating point from the initially reported Live + Same Day Numbers to the Live + 7 Day DVR finals.

"Cougar Town" (9:30-10:01 p.m.)

Continuing to deliver strong lead-in retention for ABC at 9:30pm in a highly competitive half-hour against the second-half of CBS' "Criminal Minds" and Fox's "Glee," "Cougar Town" took second among its entertainment competition in its time slot in Men 18-49 (2.3/6) and Men 25-54 (2.8/7).

� Like its lead-in, "Cougar Town" is producing gains over its first-reported numbers through DVR playback, increasing by 1.0 million viewers and by an additional 5-tenths of an Adult 18-49 rating point from the initially reported Live + Same Day Numbers to the Live + 7 Day DVR finals.

� "Eastwick" is seeing bumps from the first-reported numbers through DVR playback, surging by 1.1 million viewers and by an additional 4-tenths of an Adult 18-49 rating point from the initially reported Live + Same Day Numbers to the Live + 7 Day DVR finals.

Thursday

Up against Fox's MLB AL Playoff Game 5, featuring teams from the Top 2 U.S. markets (NY Yankees-LA Angeles), ABC won Thursday for the 5th week in a row among Adults 18-49 (4.0/11), beating its competition by wide margins.

� Despite facing post-season baseball, ABC was up week to week in Total Viewers and held even in Adults 18-49 (11.1 million and 4.0/11 on 10/15/09).

� For the 2nd week in a row, ABC was up over the year-ago Thursday (10/23/08), growing by 1.3 million viewers (11.7 million vs. 10.4 million) and by 11% in Adults 18-49 (4.0/11 vs. 3.6/9).

"FlashForward" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

ABC freshman "FlashForward" finished second against its non-sports competition in the 8 o'clock hour to CBS' veteran "Survivor" in Adults 18-49 (3.1/9), leading NBC's comedies ("Community"/"Parks and Recreation") by 55% (2.0/6). Among Adults 18-34 (2.6/8), "FlashForward" ranked No. 1 in its hour for the 5th week in a row.

� Opposite increased competition in the hour week to week from Fox's baseball game and "Survivor," "FlashForward" grew its overall audience by 9% from the prior Thursday (9.9 million vs. 9.1 million).

� The top gainer for any new series this season in DVR playback, "FlashForward" surges over the first-reported numbers by 1.9 million viewers and by 8-tenths of an Adult 18-49 rating point (+21%) from the Live + Same Day Numbers to the Live + 7 Day DVR finals.

"Grey's Anatomy" (9:00-10:01 p.m.)

Growing week to week and dominating the 9 o'clock hour, Grey's Anatomy finished as Thursday's No. 1 TV show in both Total Viewers (15.1 million) and Adults 18-49 (5.3/14). In fact the ABC drama registered as Thursday's #1 TV show in Adults 18-49 for the 5th consecutive week.

� "Grey's" was up week to week by 1.3 million viewers and by 6% in Adults 18-49 (13.8 million and 5.0/13 on 10/15/09).

� TV's most-popular show in DVR playback, "Grey's Anatomy" jumps over the first-reported numbers by 3.0 million viewers and by an additional 1.5 Adult 18-49 rating points (+23%) from the Live + Same Day Numbers to the Live + 7 Day DVR finals.

"Private Practice" (10:01-11:00 p.m.)

The No. 1 non-sports show in the 10 o'clock hour, ABC's "Private Practice" qualified as the highest-rated series in its time period for the 4th week running in Adults 18-49 (3.7/10), beating CBS' "The Mentalist" replay 32% (2.8/8) and NBC's "Jay Leno" by 131% (1.6/5). The ABC drama won its hour, dominating across the Women demos (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

� Like its lead-in, "Private Practice" sees impressive DVR gains from the first-reported numbers, shooting up by 1.7 million viewers and by 9-tenths of an Adult 18-49 rating point (+20%) from the Live + Same Day Numbers to the Live + 7 Day DVR finals.

Friday

"Supernanny" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

Despite moving back an hour earlier this year into the 8 o'clock hour, "Supernanny" drew 7% more viewers than its year-ago Friday season premiere at 9:00 p.m. coming out of "Wife Swap" (4.5 vs. 4.2 million on 10/3/08). "Supernanny" topped its Fox competition in the time period ("Brothers"/"'Til Death") by 2.4 million viewers (4.5 vs. 2.1 million) and by 57% in Adults 18-49 (1.1/4 vs. 0.7/3).

"Ugly Betty" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Showing solid retention of its week-earlier season opener (86% in Viewers/86% in AD18-49), ABC's "Ugly Betty" built on its Adult 18-49 lead-in to defeat Fox's established drama "Dollhouse" in the 9 o'clock hour by 50% (1.2/4 vs. 0.8/3).

� Last season "Ugly Betty" posted substantial gains through DVR playback, picking up an average of 800,000 viewers and 4-tenths of an Adult 18-49 rating point (+17%) from the initially reported Live + Same Day Numbers to the final L+7 Day DVR finals. With Household DVR penetration increasing from 28% to 33% year to year, series are seeing even bigger increases in the final playback numbers this season.

"20/20" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

Building on its Adult 18-49 lead-in by 33%, ABC News' "20/20" took second at 10:00 p.m., defeating NBC's "Jay Leno" in the hour by 13% in the key young adult sales demo (1.6/5 vs. 1.4/5).

Sunday

Up against extraordinary professional sports competition throughout the evening from Fox with an enormous NFL overrun leading into the highly-rated series-clinching game of MLB's American League Championship Series (NY Yankees-LA Angeles) and from NBC with another big "Sunday Night Football" contest (Arizona-NY Giants), ABC beat out its non-sports-driven competition Sunday, topping CBS by 6% in Viewers (10.8 vs. 10.2 million) and by 43% in Adults 18-49 (3.3/9 vs. 2.3/6).

� Despite the competitive network landscape, ABC grew its overall Sunday night audience for the 2nd week in a row and also increased its Adult 18-49 audience week to week.

� "AFV" hit season highs with Total Viewers (8.5 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.3/7), logging its top numbers in nearly 8 months � since 3/1/09.

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

Building on its lead-in against Fox's baseball game and NBC's football game, ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" beat out its unscripted competition in the time period ("Amazing Race") among Adults 18-34 (+5% - 2.3/7 vs. 2.2/6) and Women 18-34 (+16% - 2.9/9 vs. 2.5/8).

� For the 2nd straight week, "Home Edition" increased its Total Viewer count.

"Desperate Housewives" (9:00-10:01 p.m.)

"Desperate Housewives" stood as Sunday's No. 1 series in Total Viewers (14.2 million) and Adults 18-49 (4.7/11), registering as the night's most-watched entertainment program on all 5 weeks this season.

� Growing its audience for the 2nd consecutive week, ABC's "Housewives" generated its second-highest numbers of the season in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 (tie).

� "Housewives" is generating an even bigger increase this season than last over its first-reported numbers through DVR playback, picking up an average 1.6 million viewers and 7-tenths of an A18-49 rating point from the Live + Same Day Numbers to the Live + 7 Day DVR finals.

"Brothers & Sisters" (10:01-11:00 p.m.)

ABC's "Brothers & Sisters" took full control over its CBS drama competition in the 10 o'clock hour, outdelivering "Cold Case" by 8% in Total Viewers (10.0 million vs. 8.8 million) and by 83% in Adults 18-49 (3.3/9 vs. 1.8/5). "Brothers & Sisters" placed No. 1 in the hour for the 5th consecutive week among key Women demos (W18-49/W25-54).

� Like its lead-in, "Brothers & Sisters" is seeing a sizeable uptick this season over its first-reported numbers through DVR playback (also bigger than last season), picking up an average 1.1 million viewers and an additional 4-tenths of an Adult 18-49 rating point from the initially reported Live + Same Day Numbers to the Live + 7 Day DVR finals.